Toronto Blue Jays land needed starter in Jose Berrios

The Toronto Blue Jays have been looking for upgrades to their pitching staff. They had already addressed the bullpen, adding Brad Hand and Adam Cimber, but other pieces were needed. Both the bullpen and rotation were in need of help, and while the relief corps had been improved, additional moves were likely.

One of those moves has already happened. The Blue Jays addressed their rotation by adding Jose Berrios in a trade with the Twins, with Austin Martin and Simeon Woods-Richardson heading back to Minnesota.

Jose Berrios immediately upgrades Toronto Blue Jays rotation

There is no question that Berrios will immediately improve the Blue Jays rotation. He has posted a solid 3.48 ERA and a 1.044 WHiP in his 121.2 innings, striking out 126 batters with just 32 walks. Berrios is also still under team control, and will not be a free agent for another year.

While the Blue Jays needed to land such an arm if they have any hope of returning to the postseason this year, they still paid a high cost. Martin and Woods-Richardson are both top 100 prospects, and were amongst the top four in the Blue Jays farm system.

Although Martin’s stock has slipped a bit this year, he is still regarded as a future impact player. He could potentially slot around the diamond in a Ben Zobrist type of player, with an excellent swing and strong approach at the plate to carry his tools further. His raw power is essentially average, but his swing allows his power to play up. While he was not as fast as he had been in his 2019 season in college, he still has the quickness to be a strong baserunner and to get to plenty of balls in the outfield.

Woods-Richardson is the type of pitcher that can move quickly. He has a strong three pitch mix with an advanced feel for his stuff, and his tendency to work quickly helps his defense. Although his fastball velocity had dipped a slight bit, he still has a plus changeup with excellent fade and a solid curve. His command has faltered this season, as he has issued a career worst 5.3 walks per nine innings, but with his combination of stuff and pitchability, he should be able to right the ship.

This is the sort of trade that could work out well for both sides. Berrios gives the Blue Jays another strong arm in the rotation for 2022, while the Twins could end up with two building blocks going forward. It also illustrates how much pitching will cost as the deadline approaches.

The Toronto Blue Jays have their rotation upgrade in Jose Berrios. It cost a great deal, but this was a trade that they had to make.